a quiet revolution

what gets you in

to college, to career .. to happiness, to health.. to love.

We’ve had an intense focus on grades/test scores/degrees/diplomas/paperwork – as a means to getting in places.

But all that is changing. People are waking up. And they are being shut out. [50% of people getting degrees are being hosed – meaning – the dream/promise is coming up false for 1/2 the graduates – via #dalelive closing panel.] They are finding/seeing the emptiness in the accolades. (accepted)

To give you an idea of how hard-core the Juilliard School in New York is, when a world-class violinist recently gave a speech and performance, only fifteen students came, but every single practice room was booked solid.

Students here have more desire to practice the notes as written than they have to be coached by a master.

That’s because what got them into school was their ability to do the job of playing the music as written. What led to their acceptance to this famous institution was their skill in playing the notes, combined with a willingness to carefully follow instructions.

The dilemma is this: What got them in isn’t going to do them any good at all when they leave.

The world doesn’t have a shortage of very good violin players. There is no scarcity of obedient tympani players at established orchestras. They’re not hiring for those positions, and even if they were, supply far exceeds demand.

No, the only thing that will sustain these extraordinarily talented students going forward is going to be original art. Playing music in ways that no one expects. That’s a leap that they’ve been culturally encourage to avoid.

Perhaps we focus on what matters,

is changing admissions – to a more holistic vantage point – and seeing benefits therein.

The results have been both uplifting and unexpected. …..faculty members have noted that students appear to be more collegial, supportive of one another, open to new ideas and perspectives and engaged in community activities

Even STEM:

New report reveals that 50% of STEM jobs do not require a BA. Kids worried about $ should consider other options..

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A credential, like any common currency, is valued only because of the collective agreement to assign it value. The value of a college degree has been in question since the Great Recession, but there have yet to emerge clear alternatives for the public to rally the around. There are plenty of contenders, though, and it won’t be long before one of them crystalizes the idea for the masses that the traditional degree is increasingly irrelevant in a world with immediate access to evaluative information.

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Onlyness matters. You are the only one that can bring a unique gift/you to the table.